Living in a house infested with bedbugs is the worst experience you can ever encounter. These tiny creatures are very naughty and will never let you have a peaceful night sleep. Their bites are very itchy and disturbing. They often leave bumps and red spots on your skin. Bedbugs like hiding in crevices, inside beddings, and in clothes. These creatures can go for up to 2-3 months without feeding. Although they are slow in reproduction compared to other insects, an adult female bedbug can lay a single egg per day. If not controlled, bedbug infestation can make you flee your home.
6 Facts you need to know about bedbugs
• Bedbugs have well-developed mouthparts that enable them to suck the highest blood volume its host body within a very short time. They can suck up to seven times their body size. After feeding, they grow very heavy. A young bedbug can develop into an adult within one month.
• Bedbugs come out of their hiding spots only when they are hungry.
• They can live anywhere. Bedbugs are not just found in hotels. They can also thrive in apartments, single-family homes, college hostels, office premises, buses, movie theaters and stores and many more.
• They are very smart. Bedbugs have survival tactics and are very elusive. They understand how to stay out of sight especially during the day.
• Their feeding patterns are predictable.
• Bedbugs have anesthetic saliva. A host will rarely wake up its host. Their saliva is also thought to increase blood flow to the bite spot. This makes their feeding less painful and quick.
How to control bedbug infestation
A bed bug infestation can be hard to notice. However, there are common signs that can help you understand that your home is infested with bedbugs. These include blood stains on beddings and linens, red spots and bites on your skin and many more. Although you might be tempted to use insecticides and pesticides, some contain carcinogens that can cause cancer. Most pesticides contain both inert and active chemicals. Inert chemicals increase the shelf life of the product while active ones kill the insects. Alternatively, one can use natural methods to get rid of bedbugs. These include:
• Vacuuming
Vacuuming everything stuff ranging from chairs, beddings and other furnishings can aid reduce bed bug infestation. When vacuuming, it is vital to ensure that the crevice tool you use is strong enough. Highly infested areas should be vacuumed thoroughly because bedbugs can survive a single trip of a vacuum hose. Moreover, bedbug eggs can be glued to surfaces and can be hard to remove. Be sure to recheck them and repeat the vacuuming procedure.
• Steam clean
Steam cleaning can help in case of a serious infestation. The use of high heat is quite effective when dealing with a heavy bed bug infestation. Steaming kills both the bedbugs and their eggs. Study shows that bedbugs cannot tolerate temperatures beyond 60 degrees Celsius. The advantage of steam cleaning is that it deeply penetrates into crevices, fabric and any other bedbug hiding spots.
• Use homemade powder
Powder made from ginger, cayenne pepper, and smell of oregano can kill bedbugs. The powder is very easy to prepare. The ingredients are mixed then heated for about 7 minutes. The solution is then sprayed to bedbug infested spots. The powder should be used for a few days and bedbugs will be gone.
• Use Diatomaceous Earth
Powder made from diatomaceous earth is very effective in killing bedbugs. It is free from chemicals and contains fossils of small aquatic animals. The powder dehydrates bedbugs by absorbing both oils and fats from their bodies. Although it is not a quick method, the use of diatomaceous earth has over 90% success rate in controlling and eradicating bedbugs. Just apply the powder in their habitats.
• Use Peppermint or Lavender Oil Spray
Lavender/peppermint spray isn’t just meant for relaxation and calmness. It is an effective remedy to a bedbug infestation. In fact, it has been used for a long time as a potent repellent. It contains repelling properties that keep all insects away including bedbugs. Lavender oil also kills bedbug eggs and larvae.
Conclusion
Bedbugs are nocturnal insects that can be hard to detect. When they infest a home, they can make it uninhabitable by depriving you of your sleep. Getting rid of these tiny creatures isn’t always simple. Although the use of chemicals can help kill and control bedbugs, some are very toxic to humans and other organisms. Natural control methods such as vacuuming, steam cleaning, peppermint/lavender oil, diatomaceous earth, and homemade powder can aid control bedbug infestation.